Pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



No. 680,697. Patented Aug. 20, IQUL J. T. COWLEY.

PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Nov. 27, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 680,697. Patented Au 20, I901. J. 'r. COWLEY.

PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Nov. 27, 1899.)

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Aug. 20, IQOI.

J. T. COWLEY.

PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Nov. 27, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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JAMES T. COWLEY, OF LOWVELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSONCONSOLIDATED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF NEWARK,

NEW JERSEY.

PNEUMATlC DESPATCH=TUBE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,697, dated August20, 1901. Application filed November 27, 1899. Serial No. 738,329. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES T. WLEY, of Lowell, in the county of MiddleseXand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pneumatic-Despatoh-Tube Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements inpneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus in which the carriers are propelled byan air-current from one end of the line to the other.

My invention more particularly relates to pneumatic-despatch-tubesystems in which carriers are sent from the several stations through asingle despatch-tube and are returned to their respective stationsthrough independent tubes. A series of inlets are provided in thedespatch-tube, one for each station, from which the carriers are to beforwarded, and each independent return-tube is provided with adischarging-terminal for carriers belonging to that station.

The main feature of my invention relates to the arrangement of theseveral covers closing the open ends of the independent returntubesleading to the different stations by which the carriers are returnedfrom the central station to the station from which they were sent, andby means 'of my arrangement upon the opening of the cover of one of thetubes the cover of the one last opened is antomatically closed, so thatthe air-c urrent will pass only through one tube to itsdischargeterminal and then return through the despatching-tube leadingto the central station. By this arrangement the air current is changedfrom one tube to another, so that the current of air is passing onlythrough the tube through which a carrier is to be sent, thereforerequiring only power enough to operate one line, as only one line isactually in use at any one time.

My invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction embodyingmy invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tubes and terminalslocated on different floors.

Fig. 2 is a front View showing three independent return-tubes with twoof the covers closed and one open. Fig. 3 is a sectional view throughthe center of one of the returntubes. Fig. 4. is a detail perspectiveview showinga catch for engaging one of the valvearms for holding thevalve open.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

A B C D represent a series of floors. The forwarding-tube E extendsthrough said floors and is provided with a series of inlets, one foreach of the floors above the central station, said inlet having coversE, E and E normally closed by the vacuum in the pipe. The lower end ofthe despatch-tube E above the central station located on floor A isprovided With a discharging-terminal E of any suitable construction,provided with a suitable valve E which closes the outlet, and throughsaid terminals the carriers are discharged at the central station fromthe despatch-tube E. A suction-pipe F is connected to the despatch-tubeE and to an air-exhaustingapparatus. Locatedin thesuction-pipeF is avalve G,with asuitable handle G6 for regulating the pressure within thesystem. From the central station a series of return-tubes H, I and,extend to the several upper floors and are provided with terminals H, I,and J, of any suitable known construction, and which are not hereparticularly described, as they form no part of the present invention.The return-tubes H and Iare connected to the return-tube J by the pipesH and I and the return-tube J is connected to the tube E by the pipe Jfor the purpose of providing a circulation through the system.

On the lower end of each tube H, I, and J is located a valve K, and saidvalves are all of similar construction. Each valve K is pivoted at L tothe handle L,which is mounted upon the arms L These arms are pivoted atL to the lugs L projecting from the ring L".

This rod M extends through all the Upon the end of each tube H, I, 5

hubs M on the rings M on each tube to connect the rings and hold theparts in their proper positions. Projecting from the under side of thering M are the lugs M in which is loosely mounted the shaft M ,whichalso extends through thelugs M on the rings M for a purpose hereinafterdescribed. Upon this shaft M are securely fastened the catches M and onsaid shaftis also secured fast the lever M to which is attached one endof the spring M the opposite end of the spring M being secured aroundthe shaft M The upper end of the catch M is formed with a shoulder Madapted to engage with the lug M on the arm L when the valve K is openand hold the arm L and the valve K in their raised position. (Shown indotted lines, Fig. 3.) The shaft M extends through all of the lugs M onthe rings M and is provided with a catch similar to the one shown anddescribed for each of the valves, all the catches M being securelyfastened to the shaft M so that when the catch M is moved backwardagainst the tensionof the spring M by raising the valve K all thecatches mounted on the shaft M are moved simultaneously. It will be seenthat when the valve K is raised and the lug M on the arm-L forces backthe catch M all of the catches on the shaft M are moved, and thismovement will release any of the valves that may be held open, allowingthem to close by gravity. The arm L is pivoted to the lugs L in suchposition that the valve K is only slightly raised from its seat on thering M when the valve is open; also, as the valve is closed the valvewill gradually comein contact with its seat on the ring M, and the forceof the air drawing against the valve K as the valve K is graduallyclosed will be taken up by the bearing L allowing the valve to closeeasily. Each of the tubes H, I, and J is provided with a similararrangement as that described for the tube H. (Shown in Fig. 3.)Connected to each ring M and extending downwardly is an inclinedcarrier-holder N, in which the carrier 0 is placed preparatory to beingdespatched to the station to which it belongs.

In operation when it is desired to despatch a carrier to the centralstation the valve closing the outlet at that station is opened and thecarrier introduced into the tube E, through which it will pass and bereceived through the terminal E at the central station on floor A. Toreturn the carrier, it is then placed in one of the carrier-holders Nand the valve K belonging to the holder in which the carrier is placedis raised,thereby closing one of the other valves which at that timeisopen. The carrier is then pushed into the open end of the tube, theholder acting as a guide to keep the carrier in alinement with the tube.The carrier is then carried by the air-pressure to the station to whichit belongs. Where two or more carriers are sent in succession throughthe same return-tube,

the valve K controlling said tube will not be operated, as the valve isalready open, and it is only necessary to introduce another carrier intothe tube for transmission.

Having thus ascertained the nature of my invention and set forth aconstruction em bodying the same, what I claim as new, and de sire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, a carrier-transmission tube, aninlet to said tube for the carrier, a valve closing said inlet,supporting means for said valve, and a bearing for said supporting meansadapted to receive the pressure on said valve upon the closing of saidvalve and thereby allow the valve to close easily.

2. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, a carrier-transmission tube, aninlet to said tube for the carrier, a valve closing said inlet,supporting means for said valve, a bearing for said supporting meansadapted to receive the pressure on said valve upon the closing of saidvalve and thereby allow the valve to close easily, and means for holdingsaid valve open.

3. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, a carrier-transmission tube, aninlet to said tube for the carrier, a valve closing said inlet,supporting means for said valve, a bearing for said supporting meansadapted to receive the pressure on said valve upon the closing of saidvalve and thereby allow the valve to close easily, means for holdingsaid valve open, and means for releasing said valve-holding means toallow the valve to close.

4. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, a series of carrier-transmissiontubes, an inlet for each tube, a valve for each inlet, means for holdingone of said valves open for the insertion of a carrier, means forreleasing said valve to allow it to close upon the opening of anothervalve to insert a carrier into another tube, supporting means for eachof said valves, and a bearing for said supporting means adapted toreceive the pressure on the valve upon the closing of the valve andthereby allow it to close easily.

5. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, a carrier-transmitting tube, aninlet to said tube for the carrier, a pivoted valve, supporting meansfor said valve, and a bearing for said supporting means located abovesaid inlet and adapted to receive the pressure on said valve upon theclosing of said valve and thereby allow the valve to close easily.

6. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, a carrier-transmitting tube, aninlet to said tube for the carrier, a pivoted valve, supporting meansfor said valve, a bearing for said supporting means located above saidinlet and adapted to receive the pressure on said valve upon the closingof said valve and thereby allow the valve to close easily, and means forholding said valve open.

7. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, a

carrier-transmitting tube, an inlet to said tube for the carrier, apivotedvalve, supporting means for said valve, and a bearing for saidsupporting means adapted to receive the pressure on said valve upon theclosing of said valve and thereby allow the valve to close easily andlocated above said inlet on the opposite side of the tube from thevalve.

8. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, a carrier-transmitting tube, aninlet to said tube for the carrier, a pivoted valve, supporting meansfor said valve, a bearing for said supporting means adapted to receivethe pressure on said valve upon the closing of said valve and therebyallow the valve to close easily and located above said inlet on theopposite side of the tube from the valve, and means for holding saidvalve open.

9. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, a

carrier-transmitting tube, an inlet to said tube for the carrier, apivoted valve, supporting means for said valve, a bearing for saidsupporting means adapted to receive the pressure on said valve upon theclosing of said valve and thereby allow the valve to close easily andlocated above said inlet on the opposite side of the tube from thevalve, and a handle pivoted to said valve for operating the same.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 11th day of November, A. D.1899.

JAMES T. GOWVLEY'.

Witnesses:

A. L. MESSER, O. A. STEWART.

